AB Guest Post - Herman Cain Tries To Win Over Black People By Insulting Their Intelligence.

[Editor's Note: Wouldn't you know it... the GOP electorate is so dissatisfied with their presumptive frontrunners that Daddy Green's getting an 2nd look. Recent polls have him in a virtual 3 way tie with Mittens and Governor GoodHair. I don't have the energy to go in on Cain's idiotic "brainwashed" quote the other day, but thankfully my cyber play-cousin The Black Snob does. Show our guest some love, you know where.]

You know? I'll never get this tactic that is, in my opinion, overused by black conservatives to get their fellow Negroes to cross over to the GOP side. I call it the "All black people are stupid but me" tactic. Which is, by far, the worst tactic to use. Herman Cain, presidential wannabe and Godfather's pizza man, recently went on CNN and said the Democrats have "brainwashed" black people into not seeing conservatism and the Republican Party as viable political options.

Which ... OMG? Really? That old lie that pretends like the 1960s and 70s never happened? But then, maybe Cain wasn't trying to win over any black people to the GOP with that statement. Maybe that was really about making white conservatives feel better since the GOP is routinely accused of harboring, defending and protecting bigots within their own party, rather than running them out of town.

From The Root:

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain said during an interview that aired on CNN's The Situation Room on Wednesday evening that some members of the African-American community "have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view."

He went on to say: “I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I am running for the Republican nomination as a conservative." He added, "So it's just brainwashing and people not being open-minded, pure and simple."

The reason why Cain has to deal with the vitriol is because of all the bigoted things certain members of the GOP have said and done. The fact that he refuses to acknowledge that the GOP welcomed the racist Democrats who refused to reform their racial views with open arms as part of their "Southern Strategy" is insulting. That he believes we should pretend Democrat and former President Lyndon Johnson didn't say the Democrats would lose the South for decades if they backed things like integration, Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. That the majority of members of the Congressional Black Caucus are Democrats and the first party to put up a viable, black presidential candidate in the modern era was the heavily flawed but at least able to acknowledge racism is real, Democratic Party.

Yes. Folks were "brainwashed." With access and input and jobs and favorable legislation. I have this CRAZY theory that if the GOP gave more black people access, input, jobs and favorable legislation they'd be nicer to Herman Cain and maybe even consider voting for him. But all I ever here is how black people are "brainwashed" into disliking someone who runs with a party that makes excuses for their bigots and routinely sets up what few black candidates they have to fail. I'm sure Cain remembers that NOT-TO-LONG-AGO the GOP burned Michael Steele not once, but twice. First with their lack of funding, organization and support when he ran for Senate in Maryland. Then a second time when they tried to bully him out of running for RNC chairman again AFTER stripping him of some of his powers. Never mind all the times he had to walk back statements about Rush Limbaugh because, heaven-forbid someone say a critical thing about that bag of wind while also being a Republican.

So, I'm supposed to pretend like Tom Delay blocking former Rep. J.C. Watts from heading up any committees in Congress, then backing a pro-abortion Republican against Watts in his primary to force Watts out of his seat didn't happen. And I'm supposed to pretend like all the times Gen. Colin Powell was shoved into a wood chipper by former Vice President Dick Cheney didn't happen? I'm supposed to pretend like NONE OF THESE THINGS HAPPENED?!

The GOP barely supports their own, home-grown black conservatives, but you expect black voters to make a huge shift out of "open-mindedness?" Maybe Cain should get into a time machine and talk to himself from back in 2008.

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

It doesn't look like some black people are brainwashed, but that maybe Herman Cain has been brainwashed, or just maybe, he's being disingenuous and trying to appeal to a segment of white voters who think black people are just making this whole "institutionalized and systematic racism" thing up.

Pandering is as pandering does.

Question: Are black folks "brainwashed" because they vote for Democrats year in and year out? Wouldn't that mean that Southern whites who vote for the GOP every year are equally lobotomized? Is Cain's recent surge in the polls a reflection of his fitness to run the country, or merely a case of racial pandering to wake up Romney and Perry?!?

Grand Hu$tle - Michelle Obama's (Clearly!) Staged Target Shopping Trip.

Look, no need to lie. I think I'm just preconditioned to look at everything related to politricks with my 3rd eye. I simply can't help myself. So when this story was all over the news and Black Folks Twitter last night, I wondered if there was a bit more to this story than met the eye.

AP photographer Charles Dharapak told CBS News he took pictures of the first lady at the Target on Route 1 in Alexandria, Virginia. The first lady's office confirmed that the pictures showed Mrs. Obama, though it did not immediately respond when asked if it tipped off Dharapak.

In the photographs, the first lady is wearing a Nike baseball cap, sunglasses and a floral-print button-down shirt with a neon v-neck underlay. She is seen holding a pair of Target bags and pushing a shopping cart. You can see the two full-length photos below.

The pictures contrasts significantly with one taken two days ago by Dharapak showing the first lady at the White House in a sleek blue pencil skirt, high heels and a ruffled blouse.

The AP reported that Secret Service agents, dressed casually, arrived at the store 30 minutes before the first lady, who shopped with an assistant. She reportedly spent 30-40 minutes shopping and was only recognized by her cashier.

The first lady was seen wearing a dress from Target, which sells relatively low-cost clothing, in Phoenix in August 2009. She has also been seen wearing clothes from J. Crew and The Gap.

In the 2008 presidential campaign, Mrs. Obama proudly proclaimed herself "more of a Target shopper," saying she preferred the store to Wal-Mart.

Okay, I know I'm gonna piss quite a few of ya'll off, but I'm callin' bullsh*t on this one. You mean to tell me an AP photographer justsohappened to be in Target, with his $4,500 camera in tow? And nobody in that whole store noticed the Presidential caravan pull up? Come on, really?

Look, I get it. The White House is taking a beating in the press for being out of touch and spending money like water in these times of economic uncertainty. Michelle-O herself has been (unfairly) criticized for wearing expensive sneakers and (somewhat fairly) taking expensive foreign vacations when Real Americans are barely getting by. Showing her at a local Target store (why she ain't go to the one in Columbia Heights though? It's only 5 mins from the WH?) looking for school supplies shows us she's "just like the rest of us", even though in reality, she's absolutely nothing like the rest of us.

I know a Grand Hu$tle when I see one, folks. I invented the term.[1] This was a staged photo-op. It's really no different than the Hollywood practice of having your publicist call paparazzi in advance, then feigning surprise (and disgust) when people start taking photos of you when you just wanna buy a freakin' Mochachino like "the regular people". I'm guessing she'll pop up at Ruff -N- Ready next, huh?

Sorry, I don't buy this one. I love me some Michelle, but I don't love this poorly disguised attempt to "relate to regular Americans in this time of struggle".

Grand Hu$tle, folks.

Question: Was this a staged photo-op, or does the First Lady really get her Tar-Jay on like the rest of us? What's your spot... Target, Wally Word, or (God forbid) K-Mart?

[1] T.I. lost all rights to this phrase with his 7th incarceration. Sorry, Tip.

What's On Your iPod?!?

Tuesday was a great day for hip-hop lovers and the state of NC, as J. Cole, Phonte, and 9th Wonder all dropped commercial releases. I bought all three (yes, with actual money. I went to iTunes, not HulkShare Records!), and can confidently say all three are good music. Cole is predicted to move about 250k units, so I guess all the haters/stans can shut up now. I've also been on a throwback funk/70's tip lately. TS Monk, Roy Ayers, and Con Funk Shun have been in heavy rotation. And yeah, since I gotta listen to some ignant sh*t while I run/ do yardwork/write code, I've been listening to a lot (and I do mean a lot) of Juicy J[1], Lil' Boosie[2], and 2 Chainz[3] lately. I'm just sayin', it's all about balance.

I could always use some new music/podcasts, especially if they're free. So in the interest of lightening the mood around here,, I'd like to and ask you folks exactly what you're listening to. And while you're at it, tell me what you listen on, be it an iPod, iPhone, Zune, bootleg Radio Shack MP3 player, or for my old-school heads, a Sony Walkman. I'm just curious/nosey.

Whatever you do, please do not use this as a forum to b*tch and moan about how bad today's music is vs the old days!!! This isn't the place or time.

Have you listened to anything new that actually excited you lately? I can't say I have. Enlighten me. Share the love, and tell the rest of AverageNation™ what's in constant rotation on your iPod you-know-where. Drop links.

Question: What are you listening to? Anything new and exciting? Put me on. You cop that J. Cole?

[1] We trippy, mane.

[2] Free Lil' Boosie!!!

[3] Is it 2 Chainz or Titty Boi? This dude should make up his mind.